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Home > Oram Awards 2022 winners and brand new international category announced

Oram Awards 2022 winners announced!

  • Sixth annual award to recognise talented women and gender minority music creators innovating in music, sound and related technologies
  • Revealed: the six winners of The Oram Awards 2022 are Ella Kay, Amble Skuse, lula.xyz, Kelly Jayne Jones, Amy Cutler, Lia Mazzari
  • Alongside the six winners are two winners in the brand new international category, in partnership with the British Council, they are Rani Jambak and FRKTL (Sarah Badr)
  • Winners to receive talent development bursaries from PRS Foundation
  • The winners are to be awarded their prizes in a ceremony at the Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival, on 24 November

The Oram Awards – a platform for innovation in sound, music and related technologies returns for its 6th edition, and announces its six UK winners alongside two winners in the brand new international category, in partnership with the British Council. The winners are to be awarded their prizes in a ceremony at the Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival, on 24 November. The award ceremony will be presented by Elizabeth Alker (BBC RADIO 3).

Of the new International category, lead producer Karen Sutton says: “The awards have gained increasing acclaim across the UK in the last five years, constantly evolving the  program, amassing a cohort of 32 winners, and developing a mentorship programme for the winners. As the next step in our development, in partnership with @britisharts, we have launched a new international category for 2022: looking beyond the UK and recognising worldwide talent. We have worked with 12 esteemed nominators worldwide to seek the world’s most innovative artists.

In partnership with The Radiophonic Institute and PRS Foundation, the Oram Awards is a platform to elevate the work and voices of Women, Trans and Non-binary music creators. Hosted by hcmf// for the first time, the Oram Awards are part of a day dedicated to electronic music.

Becci Scotcher, PRSF Senior Grants and Programmes Manager, says: “Now in its 6th year the Oram Awards is racking up an impressive list of alumni and we are thrilled to be supporting 6 more incredible UK based sound artists. The breadth of practice from applicants was inspiring to see and shows just how fertile the UK is for musical innovation. We are excited to see what the winners do with the Oram Awards mentorship program which is proving to be an effective springboard for the careers of so many talented Women who are pushing the envelope of creativity in sound, music and technology. The Oram Awards continues to show that without barriers people from all backgrounds are able to thrive.

About the winners:

Ella Kay is an electroacoustic / experimental composer, sound artist, and saxophonist, from Manchester, UK. More here.

Amble Skuse is a musician and artist, working with oral history archives, interviews, community memories, radio interviews, traditional song, found sounds, live processing, body sensor controllers and acoustic instruments. She makes compositions for instruments and electronics, she improvises using a 6 string Starfish fiddle and laptop, and makes live performance pieces.  More here.

Lula.yxz, at the vanguard of her profession, leading the way for the evolution of music as an early adopter of an interactive midi controller (MiMu gloves); only way to describe her: ethereal artist in sound and aesthetic, one can not help but transcend. More here.

Kelly Jayne Jones is a Manchester based artist making work that combines performance, installation and sound. She began working in experimental concrete music and her practice has expanded to include dance, gesture, sonic drawings, stone sculpture and film. More here.

Amy Cutler is an artist, cultural geographer, and live cinema artist who works with ideas of geography and nonhuman others. More here.

Lia Mazzari is a sound artist and performer, whose practice is often collaborative, engaging new audiences through encounters with art in non-conventional spaces, physical and virtual. More here.

Rani Jambak is a Medan-based composer, producer and vocalist. Rani’s work is often concerned with the place of sound in culture and society, and its connecting living and human ancestors. More here.

FRKTL is the solo experimental music project of British-Egyptian interdisciplinary artist and composer Sarah Badr. A classically trained multi-instrumentalist working with live sampling and improvisation, vocal manipulation, field recordings and generative rhythms, she composes emotive, immersive explorations of sound. More here.

Elizabeth Bernholz aka Gazelle Twin says: “I’ve been so inspired to see and hear the work of so many talented and innovative creators of electronic music. It was a real privilege to be asked to be part of the judging process, though it was not an easy job. It is clear that this award is such a valuable and much-needed opportunity.

Matthew Herbert, The Radiophonic Institute‘s and Accidental Records’ Creative Director says:

It’s always thrilling to hear the annual submissions for the Orams. I am reminded how spoiled for creative musicians we are in this country. I’m particularly grateful to the British Council for their support this year in allowing us to expand internationally.

It is worth noting, however, that despite being probably the very best place in the world for the sheer breadth and quality of our musical output, the last decade has seen a substantial decline in music teaching in schools, as well as proposed plans to limit places at universities and colleges to study music.

It is to all our detriment, including economically, if the government continues to make it even harder for the next generation to try an instrument, study music or travel around Europe with ease. Likewise, if streaming platforms and labels don’t distribute income fairly, the ecosystem is likely to fray even more.

At its heart ours is (or should be) an industry that brings joy, fulfilment, creativity, collaboration, employment, and revenue to millions of people, it should be championed and celebrated. In this, our 6th year, we’re delighted to be able to continue to support and highlight some brilliant women who’ve made fascinating work this year.

Find out more about the Oram Awards